Effective Teaching Strategies:
I have learned that it is very important to consider different teaching streategies when implementing technological lessons. It takes a lot of thought and polanning to create a lesson that will be successful. You don't want to be using technology just for technologies sake, but fort learning's sake. Consider cooperative learning, active learning, how to scaffold the information, how to lead the kids to discovery of information instead of telling. Being a guide on the side!
Integrating Web Based Technologies:
You cannot honestly evaluate an application or style of teaching without first trying it out yourself. Being able to integrate different web based technologies into the assignments helped me see the applications strengths and weaknesses. I often found that I was integrating it or further exploring the applications new ideas would come to me.
Meeitng My Personal Goals:
My main goal of this class was to learn about different technologies that I could use in the classroom. I also wanted to learn more about the technologies I already use.
I have used PowerPoint before, but had never created a student run lesson/game before like the StAIR. It is a great way to use powerpoint rather than just as a presentation tool.
Blogging frustrated me VERY much at the beginning of the course, but I grew to really enjoy it. I am implementing a lesson in my first grade classroom utilizing many of the technologies I have learned. I admit I am nervous about it... yet excited at the same time. It is a writing lesson where the students will use a story they have written and edited. They will publish it with parent help in a blog as an author... and then turn it into a movie using wither PowerPoint Narration or voice thread. The images will be stills (illustrations they made) as their voice reads their story over them.
New Goals:
My new goals are to start using the technologies I have learned with my students to further their learning. I learned last week that computer lab will no longer be a special offered for the first graders at my school, so it will be up to me to give the students age appropriate and content appropriate technology access during school! I feel like that is a big responsibility along with everything else teachers do... but I am excited and more comfortable with it than I would have been had I not taken these courses!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Qualifying Educational Technologies
How to use online technologies with first graders...
WebQuest is one online learning outlet I can use with my first graders. It is difficult with some of the lower level readers to find things that are appropriate, but they are out there. I also now have the knowledge to create my own. I see this helping me teach much of my sci and social studies content in exciting ways. The other options for the qualifying technologies seem to be above my first graders capabilities. At my level I want to be familiarizing them with the computer applications so they will be successful in older grades with the more advanced technologies.
The WebQuests provide opportunities for many pedegological strategies to be integrated. A feww are students collaborating with one another, active learning, cooperative learning, and integrating technology.
Other technologies I may use include online field trips and discussions with experts or students, pod or videocasts, and educational blogs.
Technologies I would not use with my students because of difficulty would be wikis, RSS feeds, LMS, online resource validation, and career planning tools.
WebQuest is one online learning outlet I can use with my first graders. It is difficult with some of the lower level readers to find things that are appropriate, but they are out there. I also now have the knowledge to create my own. I see this helping me teach much of my sci and social studies content in exciting ways. The other options for the qualifying technologies seem to be above my first graders capabilities. At my level I want to be familiarizing them with the computer applications so they will be successful in older grades with the more advanced technologies.
The WebQuests provide opportunities for many pedegological strategies to be integrated. A feww are students collaborating with one another, active learning, cooperative learning, and integrating technology.
Other technologies I may use include online field trips and discussions with experts or students, pod or videocasts, and educational blogs.
Technologies I would not use with my students because of difficulty would be wikis, RSS feeds, LMS, online resource validation, and career planning tools.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Google Documents
I explored using Google Documents. Within this web based application you can create documents, slideshow presentation, spreadsheets, calendars, and forms all online. These creations are similar to using word applications (with some limitations). The creations are stored online and can be accessed from any computer. You can also create folders in which to organize your creations in. The "drawing" application was not supported by my browser however.
There is also a template feature where you can use premade templates so you don't have to start from scratch.
You have to be aware and saving consantly so you don't loose your work if connection fails or you accidentally closae the browser window. It doesn't give you the "save reminder" as your microsoft applications do. With a slow internet connection I imagine creating or accessing one of these documents might be frustrating.
To use Google Documents you would have to have a basic understanding of using Microsoft Word or like programs as many of the toolbar icons and functions are similar. You would also need an understanding of the internet and how your browser opens windows to navigte between applications and find the ones you have created.
To share thesew documents there is a share button. You can invite people via email, share a link, publish as a webpage, or email as an attachment. You can set notifications to changes and also decide who has access.
Using Google Documents in the classroom...
You could use these applications rather than microsoft so that the studentsa can easily access their materials and work from home or other remote locations. In older grades there are resume templates and budgeting templates, etc that can be used to learn how to do them.
I like the calendar feature. I showed it to my husband and he, as the pool manager for a local country club, was able to create his employee work schedule on it and invite them to view it. This eliominated pencil and paper schedules that he had to copy and hand out. He was also able to post when a shift was open so a user could access the calendar and pick up more shifts easily. When I get back to school I am going to start doing my parent volunteer schedule in this same way. Invite parents to view the calendar and they can sign up for days and times to visit the classroom to help out.
To help students collaborate you can create a group project in which the students create and share materials through use of this application. Each group member would have their own account and they share what they are working on as it all culminates into a final project in the end.
As a teacher you would have to make sure everyone understood how to use the applications so things run smoothly. You also need a computer for everyone to use with internet access as this application uses a seperate account for everyone.
There is also a template feature where you can use premade templates so you don't have to start from scratch.
You have to be aware and saving consantly so you don't loose your work if connection fails or you accidentally closae the browser window. It doesn't give you the "save reminder" as your microsoft applications do. With a slow internet connection I imagine creating or accessing one of these documents might be frustrating.
To use Google Documents you would have to have a basic understanding of using Microsoft Word or like programs as many of the toolbar icons and functions are similar. You would also need an understanding of the internet and how your browser opens windows to navigte between applications and find the ones you have created.
To share thesew documents there is a share button. You can invite people via email, share a link, publish as a webpage, or email as an attachment. You can set notifications to changes and also decide who has access.
Using Google Documents in the classroom...
You could use these applications rather than microsoft so that the studentsa can easily access their materials and work from home or other remote locations. In older grades there are resume templates and budgeting templates, etc that can be used to learn how to do them.
I like the calendar feature. I showed it to my husband and he, as the pool manager for a local country club, was able to create his employee work schedule on it and invite them to view it. This eliominated pencil and paper schedules that he had to copy and hand out. He was also able to post when a shift was open so a user could access the calendar and pick up more shifts easily. When I get back to school I am going to start doing my parent volunteer schedule in this same way. Invite parents to view the calendar and they can sign up for days and times to visit the classroom to help out.
To help students collaborate you can create a group project in which the students create and share materials through use of this application. Each group member would have their own account and they share what they are working on as it all culminates into a final project in the end.
As a teacher you would have to make sure everyone understood how to use the applications so things run smoothly. You also need a computer for everyone to use with internet access as this application uses a seperate account for everyone.
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